Consultation on Town’s Land Grab Plans

A public consultation has opened on Ramsey Commissioners’ plan to claim parts of neighbouring authorities

The land in question currently sits within the parish districts of Lezayre and Garff.

It is a legislative requirement that a public inquiry is held to allow stakeholders and interested parties an opportunity to comment on the proposals.

The information gathered during the consultation process will be considered by the chairperson of the public inquiry, who will prepare a report for the DoI to consider, including a recommendation on whether an Order should or should not be made to adjust the boundary.

If an order is made, it would be subject to the approval of Tynwald.

Both Lezayre and Garff have questioned why Ramsey wants the land and have encouraged residents to help them in opposing the measure.

The gov has outlined the criteria for a consideration in boundary changes, which include:

1. that the promoters’ area and the area/s sought are really one community
2. that there is community of interest in all or most public services, social agencies (for example schools, doctors’ surgery/ies, recreation areas and community halls) and communal requirements of the future
3. that the area sought is an overspill or outgrowth of the promoters’ area
4. that, wherever possible, clear physical boundaries are followed
5. that there is insufficient acreage left for the development of the promoters’ area within its borders and injury is suffered thereby
6. that the balance of advantage lies in the acceptance of the scheme, though it may generally be admitted that the area sought may be valuable in various ways to the local authority by whom they are now governed

However, the financial impact, through rateable income, on an authority cannot be considered.

Ramsey Commissioners have previously said that the criteria for boundary extensions have been established as including ’community of interest, overspill and land for future development’.

It has also previously been reported that not only could homeowners within the new boundary see their rates increase from 100.5p to 467.0p in the pound, the significant reduction in the parish’s income would result in a rate increase for all other householders of about 33%.

Views should be supplied in writing on or before 5pm on Wednesday 9 August using the online response form at consult.gov.im, by email to localgovernment@gov.im or by post to the Local Government Team, Department of Infrastructure, Sea Terminal, Douglas, IM1 2RF.